GM Poised for Another Advertising Overhaul

General Motors Co. is shaking up its global advertising strategy again by moving the Cadillac account to a new agency and ending a partnership created a year ago to handle Chevrolet advertising, according to news reports.

GM is expected to dissolve the Commonwealth joint venture between McCann Worldgroup and Omnicom Group's Goodby, Silverstein and Partners by the end of this month. New York City-based McCann would handle the account solo.

Unidentified sources tell The Wall Street Journal that GM is unhappy with Commonwealth's inability to handle an increasing workload. The partnership was created by former global marketing chief Joel Ewanick, who was fired last July.

Cadillac confirms it is considering an agency switch. The brand reportedly intends to move its global advertising to Warren, Mich.-based Campbell Ewald from Publicis Groupe's Fallon Worldwide Inc.

Fallon has handled the account for nearly three years. Campbell Ewald which lost the Chevy account in 2010 after 91 years would be Cadillac's fourth agency in just over three years.

But the luxury brand says it is just beginning its agency review and that Fallon will be invited to participate.

Campbell Ewald and McCann are both units of Interpublic Group.

The changes would fulfill GM's goal of bringing its global Chevy and Cadillac advertising under one agency group. The brands spent $975 million and $244 million, respectively, on U.S. advertising last year, according to Kantar Media.